Most Inspirational Moment
The first came in Mulu National Park where we witnessed literally millions of bats leave Deer Cave at dusk to begin their evening search for dinner on the wing, twisting and swirling like endless murmurations of starlings. The second came from repeated sightings of orangutans and proboscis monkeys in trees along the Kinabatangan River and in Danum Valley, showing that they can thrive in the wild in areas where their natural habitat is being conserved. A pre-breakfast walk in the Danum Valley lasted less than 100 metres before we encountered orangutans that we joyfully watched for the next 90 minutes as they played and fed in the fruit trees near our lodge.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Nostalia was an excellent leader throughout our tour. She provided clear briefings with everything we needed to know about timings, where we were going, what we could expect to see, and what to wear on different occasions.
As expected from an Exodus leader, she proved very knowledgeable on all wildlife matters . She was also a great source of information in the towns and cities we visited, advising us where the locals go to eat excellent food at very reasonable prices.
Advice for Potential Travellers
From the trip notes, we surmised that we would be clad in long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, and boots most of the time. In practice, this proved necessary for only four days (Kinabatangan River and Danum Valley) near the end of the trip. For the rest of the time, shorts, t-shirts and trainers/sandals worked very well as long as our exposed limbs were well treated with insect repellent.
On the bird-watching front, we had delightful sightings of hornbills, eagles and kingfishers but the vast majority of Borneo's 300+ species proved elusive. If bird watching is a priority, you probably need to seek a specialist birding tour rather than a general wildlife tour like this one.
